A dictionary, which draws its roots from its very essence—from “the word” itself—plays a vital role in our lives. In fact, a dictionary resembles an experienced teacher who tirelessly provides language lessons day and night.
Lexicography—the art of compiling dictionaries—is considered one of the most demanding and painstaking tasks. Hence, it is often compared to “digging a well with a needle.”
And now, another dictionary has joined this noble field: The English–Turkmen “Makul Dictionary.” Following the ancient Turkmen tradition, it is only proper to greet this work with the blessing: “May it have abundance!” and “May there be more to come!”
I wholeheartedly congratulate those who prepared this new contribution to Turkmen lexicography—especially Dr. Dovran Orazgylyjov and his team—and wish them continued success in their future endeavors.
The history of Turkmen lexicography dates back to very early times. As is known, the foundation of Turkmen explanatory dictionaries lies in the ancient and monumental Divanü Lugat-it Türk by Mahmud al-Kashgari, one of the earliest and finest examples of Turkic lexicography. Related to this, the linguist Sapar Ahaly wrote one of the first scholarly works in Turkmen linguistics on dictionary-making in 1958.
As times change, dictionaries evolve to meet the demands of their era, and their types diversify—explanatory, orthographic, terminological, dialectological, etymological, bilingual, and multilingual dictionaries, among others.
The earliest examples of Turkmen bilingual dictionaries were Russian–Turkmen dictionaries. Over time, Turkmen lexicography has built a rich experience in compiling such bilingual works (Russian–Turkmen, Turkmen–Russian). One of the latest and most extensive examples is the two-volume Great Russian–Turkmen Dictionary (Moscow, 1986), containing 77,000 entries.
In the field of bilingual lexicography, English–Turkmen and Turkmen–English dictionaries began to develop more actively in the years following independence. A notable recent example of this is the English–Turkmen Makul Dictionary.
As mentioned earlier, lexicography is a meticulous endeavor—“like digging a well with a needle.”
A bilingual dictionary resembles a two-winged bird; each wing represents a different language. Unless both wings flap in harmony, the bird cannot reach its destination. In other words, successful bilingual lexicography requires a strong command of both languages—in this case, English and Turkmen.
The fundamental unit of any dictionary is the dictionary entry, also called the “lexical item” or “headword.” In the Makul Dictionary, each such entry represents a concept. For example:
- ab initio, 2) above, 3) abduct—each of these is a separate dictionary entry.
In exemplary entries, the root connections between related words are carefully traced. For instance, abandon, abandonment, abate, abatement, abet, abetment—all demonstrate word-family consistency. The first crucial step in compiling a dictionary, therefore, is selecting the correct entries, as this determines the structural integrity of the work. In the Makul Dictionary, English serves as the source language for the entries, and it is evident that these have been accurately selected according to linguistic standards.
Following each entry comes its definition, which clarifies meaning and provides the corresponding translation or explanation.
For example, in the entries bird – guş (n.) and bird-house – ketek (n.), the Turkmen words guş and ketek function as explanations or equivalents.
In this regard as well, it is evident that the compilers of the English–Turkmen Makul Dictionary provided accurate and appropriate definitions.
With nearly 16,500 dictionary entries, this work stands as one of the most comprehensive dictionaries compiled in this field to date. It will undoubtedly serve as a valuable reference for linguists and teachers alike. It also deserves a prominent place on the desks of English and Turkmen language instructors.
Moreover, it will serve as a “third hand” for translators working between the two languages.
The dictionary will also greatly benefit youth, particularly high school and university students, graduate and doctoral researchers, as well as foreign businesspeople, tourists, lawyers, professionals, and language enthusiasts.
Before concluding, let me share a concise yet meaningful principle accepted by experienced lexicographers:
“A word is an inexhaustible, ever-expanding resource. Therefore, no dictionary can ever be considered complete.”
Taking inspiration from this wisdom, I would like to share a few constructive remarks that may be useful to the authors in future editions:
- As in most dictionaries, it would be useful to include at the beginning a section titled “About the Structure of the Dictionary”, describing the overall methodology and structure of the English–Turkmen Makul Dictionary. Reference to previous Turkmen dictionaries could also be added for context.
- Future editions might consider including the correct pronunciation of entries in addition to their spelling. Although the authors, being proficient in English, may not have prioritized this, it would be especially beneficial for Turkmen learners of English.
- If the entries were supplemented with examples from literature or texts, the quality and usability of the dictionary would be further enhanced.
- A few typographical and duplication errors are present in certain pages, which should be corrected in future editions.
For example, on page 388:
- straightway curve – gonuburçly öwrüm (n.)
- strange – ýat, nätanyş, nämälim, täsin, adaty däl, birhili, geň, del, birhili (adj.)
- stranger – daşary ýurtly, näbelet, saýry, nätanyş, keseki, ýat, gaýry ýurtly, saýry (n.)
- strained muscle – muskul dartylmasy, şiniň süýnmegi (n.)
- strange looking model – üýtgeşik görnüşli nusga (regarding a car)
- stream – akym (n.), syrykmak (v.), çüwdürmek (v.), akmak (v.), akdyrmak (v.), akar (n.), dökülmek, guýmak, çüwdürmek, kükemek, burk urmak (v.)
- street races – köçe ýaryşlary (n.)
- Attention should be paid to the accuracy of factual data. For instance, S. Frederick Starr, in the preface of the 2025 edition, wrote that Turkmenistan’s population is “nearly seven million.” However, according to official data cited by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in his 2023 book “Youth – the Pillar of the Homeland” (p. 37), based on the December 17, 2022 census, the population was 7,057,841. Such factual accuracy is important in all references.
- The Introduction section includes valuable remarks by linguist Amangeldi Baygeldiyev.
However, I do not agree with his statement that “Turkmen lexicography began with the establishment of the Academy of Sciences in the 1950s.” In fact, nearly ten dictionaries were published before 1950. The first bilingual Russian–Turkmen Dictionary was compiled by I.A. Belyaev and published in 1913.
Some sentences in the Introduction seem to have been directly translated from Turkmen into English, slightly affecting natural flow.
For example:
“The broad implementation of the achievements of science, technology, and the digital system contributes to the stable development of the national economy.”
In this sentence, expressions like “broad implementation of achievements” and “contributes to stable development” sound awkward and could be refined.
Similarly, the phrase “language bridge” in “…we believe it will serve as a language bridge” does not fully align with Turkmen orthographic or stylistic norms.
Such minor technical issues in no way diminish the significance of the English–Turkmen Makul Dictionary; on the contrary, they provide valuable insights for improving future editions.
Berdi Sariyev
Professor, Ankara University
Doctor of Philological Sciences